Tree and flying squirrels
| Tree and flying squirrels | ||||||||||||
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Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sciurinae | ||||||||||||
| Fischer de Waldheim , 1817 |
The tree squirrels and flying squirrels (Sciurinae) form a subfamily of squirrels (Sciuridae) with a total of 20 genera and around 80 species. In this taxon the tree squirrels (Sciurini) - the most famous representative of which is the Eurasian squirrel - and the flying squirrels (Pteromyini) are combined.
Features and way of life
The tree and flying squirrels are a very diverse group of squirrels, which is shaped by the physique and the way of life of the two included taxa. In principle, they are small to medium-sized rodents, with the smallest species of flying squirrels, the tiny flying squirrels ( Petaurillus ), reaching a body size of 7 cm with a tail length of 6 cm and the largest species, the giant flying squirrels ( Petaurista ), with almost 60 cm Head-torso length and a tail of 65 centimeters are among the largest types of squirrels. Within the tree squirrels, the size varies less, here the body sizes range from 15 centimeters with a tail length of 12 centimeters in the New Worldly dwarf squirrels ( Microsciurus ) to the larger species of squirrels ( Sciurus ) with about 25 centimeters head-trunk length and one Tail also about 25 centimeters.
While the flying squirrels are usually crepuscular to nocturnal, the tree squirrels are all diurnal. In both groups, a predominantly herbivorous diet of fruits, seeds and other parts of plants predominates ; small animals and bird eggs are also eaten less frequently. All species are predominantly arboreal, with the tree squirrels in particular also coming to the ground to forage.
Systematics
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Phylogenetic system of the squirrels (Sciuridae) according to Steppan et al. 2004
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Phylogenetic systematics of the squirrels (Sciuridae) according to Mercer & Roth 2003
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Due to their sliding membranes , the sliding squirrels were compared to all other squirrels ("ground squirrels and tree squirrels") in a separate subfamily in older systematics. However, this classification does not reflect the actual relationships of ancestry, since the ground squirrels and tree squirrels formed a paraphyletic group, that is, they did not include all descendants of a common ancestor. Genetic studies led to the conclusion that the flying squirrel and the tree squirrel form a common clade; here the flying squirrels are the sister group of the tree squirrels.
A distinction is made between the following genera:
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Tribe tree squirrel (Sciurini)
- Newworldly miniature squirrel ( Microsciurus )
- Borneo squirrel ( Rheithrosciurus )
- Red squirrel ( Sciurus )
- Central American mountain squirrel ( Syntheosciurus )
- Red squirrel ( Tamiasciurus )
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Tribus flying squirrel (Pteromyini)
- Furrow-tooth flying squirrel ( Aeretes )
- Black flying squirrel ( Aeromys )
- Hairy- footed flying squirrel ( Belomys )
- Biswamoyopterus
- Cashmere flying squirrel ( Eoglaucomys )
- Rock slip squirrel ( Eupetaurus )
- Newworldly flying squirrels ( Glaucomys )
- Horseshoe Flying Squirrel ( Hylopetes )
- Horsfield's flying squirrel ( Iomys )
- Small gliding squirrel ( Petaurillus )
- Giant Sliding Squirrel ( Petaurista )
- Dwarf gliding squirrel ( Petinomys )
- Real flying squirrels ( Pteromys )
- Smoky gray flying squirrel ( Pteromyscus )
- Complex-toothed flying squirrel ( Trogopterus )
supporting documents
- ^ A b Scott J. Steppan, Brian L. Storz, Robert S. Hoffmann: Nuclear DNA phylogeny of the squirrels (Mammalia: Rodentia) and the evolution of arboreality from c-myc and RAG1. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30, 2004; Pp. 703-719. doi : 10.1016 / S1055-7903 (03) 00204-5 , full text .
- ↑ a b J.M. Mercer, VL Roth: The effects of Cenozoic global change on squirrel phylogeny. Science 299, 2003; Pp. 1568-1572. ( Full text ), doi : 10.1126 / science.1079705
- ↑ Richard W. Thorington , Diane Pitassy, Sharon A. Jansa: Phylogenies of flying squirrels (Pteromyinae). Journal of Mammalian Evolution 9 (1), 2002; Pp. 99-135. doi : 10.1023 / A: 1021335912016 .
- ↑ after Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 .
literature
- Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 .
- Michael D. Carleton, Guy G. Musser: Order Rodentia. In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Volume 2. 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 , pp. 745-1600.
